{"id":9684,"date":"2023-01-19T15:02:13","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T13:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/?p=9684"},"modified":"2023-01-19T15:02:13","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T13:02:13","slug":"the-best-europe-railway-trips-to-embark-on-this-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/the-best-europe-railway-trips-to-embark-on-this-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"The best Europe railway trips to embark on this winter"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are few things that sound as inviting as a trip. Spending some time away from home every now and then can take your mind off your chores and responsibilities. If you want to feel like you\u2019re truly unwinding and leaving your problems behind, travelling somewhere else is the best present you could give yourself. However, a trip during the winter can sound like a bit of a hassle. After all, the weather is colder, your luggage will be heavier because you have to bring along jumpers and jackets, and there\u2019s barely any sunshine at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That is, at least, if you have a pessimistic view about it. When you keep an open mind, you\u2019ll realise that travelling in winter means you will get to experience a more realistic side of the places you visit as there aren\u2019t as many tourists as in the summertime. You\u2019ll visit more landmarks, both to soak in the culture and to escape the nippy air outside. And you\u2019ll even manage to save up some money on accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And because the season calls for it, you want to choose a trip that can induce a certain air of romance and cosiness. The best option is to choose a train journey throughout Europe. And if you\u2019re wondering why picking the train over something else like the plane or the car, the answer lies in the timelessness of train travel. In Europe, trips by train have a particularly long history, and they have been popular since the 19th century onwards. When you travel by train, the destination isn\u2019t your only goal. The trip itself is a rare pleasure. If you haven\u2019t admired spectacular scenery moving past while huddled inside on a comfy seat before, you\u2019re in for a treat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some of the best train rides you should consider embarking on this winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

London\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

It can seem like a no-brainer, but the bustling capital is lovely to visit during the cold season. From the decorations to the atmosphere and the many shops around, you may find your shopping energies renewed even with Christmas already gone. If you decide to treat yourself to a retail therapy session, London is the best place to do it, as you can find pretty much everything you could want. No matter what you want to do, you won\u2019t get bored in London. The city is usually vibrant and busy, so there\u2019s no shortage of activities you can try. From restaurants to ice skating rinks, well-known bus tours, and iconic landmarks waiting to be discovered, you won\u2019t feel bored for one second.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another advantage is that you can travel\u00a0<\/span>to London by train<\/span><\/a>\u00a0starting from several major European cities, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels and The Hague. As a general rule, the earlier you book your trip, the cheaper you will be. However, if you want to stay flexible and keep all your travelling options available, you should expect the prices to be somewhat more elevated but still reasonable and affordable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brussels\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Belgian capital is one of the most picturesque destinations in Europe. With a history dating back to approximately 979, the city has no shortage of astonishing cultural landmarks and incredible architecture you must discover. And, of course, you can\u2019t miss out on the specific wintertime activities taking place in Brussels, of which there are several you should add to your bucket list.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sound and light show at Grand Place, the city\u2019s main square, is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful in the world. There\u2019s a different theme each year, so if you decide to return to Brussels for Christmas 2023, you\u2019ll get to witness an entirely different show. One of the best things about it is that the show repeats itself throughout the night every half an hour, so if you\u2019ve got a walk through Brussels planned out (a perfect idea if it\u2019s your first time in the city), you can still catch it. The Winter Wonder festival includes open-air concerts, fairs, skating rinks and many other entertainment options, and of course, you can\u2019t miss out on the opportunity to stroll through the Saint-Hubert Galleries. It\u2019s not just for shopping but for the sheer beauty of the architecture and the all-around lovely atmosphere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Much like in the case of London, finding a\u00a0<\/span>Brussels train<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is not at all difficult, and you can start off from all European capitals, including Paris, London and Amsterdam. Booking your ticket online helps you avoid paying an extra booking fee. And if you\u2019re planning a weekend getaway, travelling on Saturday, Sunday and Monday is preferable to starting on Friday and finishing on Sunday if you want to stay within a predetermined budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wales\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Wales can boast some of the most beautiful narrow-gauge railways, so if you\u2019ve wanted to visit the country before, there\u2019s no better time to try. The railways that go through the country cover the mountains and the coastal scenery of Snowdonia so that you can enjoy various views. If you\u2019d like to try something a little out of the ordinary, you can take a trip back in time and choose the steam-powered service of the Ffestiniog Railway. This train goes roughly 13 miles down to the coast, reaching Porthmadog. Afterwards, you can return to Caernarfon, where you can board a train connecting to the main line service and continue your journey from there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Berlin\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

The German capital is a must-see during winter, and luckily there\u2019s a well-established network of high-speed trains that can take you there in no time. If you\u2019re in Berlin during the holiday season, there are numerous Christmas markets you can visit. They offer different products and entertainment, and if you have enough time at your disposal, you should check out as many of them as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you feel up to it, you can start from Paris, move on to Brussels and then Berlin for a continuous, three-country extravaganza in some of the best cities in the world. You can also travel from Paris to Frankfurt and then move on to the German capital if you want to spend a little more time in Germany.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vienna\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s perhaps no choice more obvious than <\/span>Vienna<\/span><\/a> when it comes to a winter trip. The city becomes genuinely magical during the cold months, and you won\u2019t regret even for a second that you chose it as your destination. The Austrian Railways also offer the benefit of sleeper trains, so you start off in one country and then open your eyes to discover you\u2019ve arrived at your destination. It\u2019s the perfect option if you\u2019re worried you may start to feel a little restless during the trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Travelling during wintertime is bound to make for a pleasant experience, but if you choose to journey by train, you\u2019re one step closer to making it utterly unforgettable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are few things that sound as inviting as a trip. Spending some time away from home every now and then can take your mind off your chores and responsibilities. If you want to feel like you\u2019re truly unwinding and leaving your problems behind, travelling […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[668,273,658,1,537,268],"tags":[434,842,426,841,97],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-best-Europe-railway-trips-to-embark-on-this-winter.jpeg?fit=1280%2C788&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9684"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9684"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9686,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9684\/revisions\/9686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travellingbuzz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}